“…How long before you save us from all this violence?  Why do you make me watch such terrible injustice?  Why do you allow violence, lawlessness, crime, and cruelty to spread everywhere?  Laws cannot be enforced; justice is always the loser; criminals crowd out honest people and twist the laws around.” 

To those living in areas of high crime and violence these words may sound all too familiar.  These could easily be the words of victim’s rights advocates before a magistrate.  These words could easily be those of law abiding citizens who feel trapped and powerless to address the social ills that plague their communities. These words give vital expression to the deep anguish of the heart some feel as they read the latest morning headlines about what has taken place the previous day and night in their communities.

To me, these words also have the familiar ring of a community gathering between police and concerned residents following the latest in a string of tragedies. As one who for a season, lived in a community with the highest crime rate in the city of Chicago, I have attended many such meetings over the years but must confess that my attendance at such meetings has been less seldom as the violence and homicides have increased.

However, as familiar as these words may seem, they are actually the words of sacred scripture- a deep conversation between the prophet Habakkuk and God.  The prophet questions, “Our Lord, how long must I beg for your help before you listen?  How long..?”  

These words serve as a reminder that true faith and prayer does not shrink back from the realities of the day but brings before God that which profoundly impacts our lives and the lives of others.  Our sacred texts address the ultimate questions of life and death, violence and injustice, lawlessness, crime and cruelty, and calls for justice on behalf of the innocent, the honest, and the oppressed. These are the issues that many of our brothers and sisters in Christ live with and face every single day. Surely, our brothers and sisters wonder “How long?”  

Even in the midst of God’s promises of doom to those who build cities on violence and encouragement to “wait” and “live by faith”, the prophet continues to come before God on behalf of the people “Don’t sit by in silence while they gobble people up”.

Perhaps the prophet speaks to us today as much as he did to God then. 

The recent deaths of Derrion Albert, the Fenger High School honor student, the countless shooting, stabbing and murders of school aged children, and the senseless slayings of Ruby McClendon 76, and Milton McClendon, 78 deeply trouble the soul.  The city of Chicago has received national and international attention not only for a failed Olympic bid but because of the rampant violence that has claimed so many lives.  We will never know for certain what impact the death of Delbert Albert, that was caught on video and seen around the world, may have had on the decision regarding what city or nation would host the 2016 games.  One thing is certain though, the Olympics are just that, "games".  Important though they may be, they are not as important, in the eyes of God, as a single person who has lost a life to violence.   

We have a tendency in our society to look to things that distract us from that which is truly important and often disturbing to our sensibilities.  We often chose the profane over the sacred.  I do not believe that we are hard-hearted as a people.  I do believe, however, that many of us frequently subject ourselves to a media-induced anger and callousness that would curse rather than bless and blame rather than confess our participation in unjust systems.  Our emotional system’s default setting seems set to “anger” rather than love.  

Likewise, too many of us have lost the ability to feel anything at all.  The phrase “compassion fatigue’ has become a part of our lexicon.  Where once we derided those who merely “gave” or “sent” their money as participating in “drive by compassion”, we now have studies on people who have grown weary of even being asked to “give”.  We are less connected as a community than perhaps ever before in our history. Many of us only connect on facebook, myspace, and twitter.  However, computerized social-networking can never replace human contact and community, and texting cannot replace human touch- especially in times of crisis. 

Still, even more of us simply do not know “what to do” or “what we can do” as individuals in the face of such great problems. 

I am not naïve enough to believe that we can simply will ourselves to a deeper sense of community and a deeper level of communication or easily bring an end to the seemingly unbridled violence that is spreading everywhere.  But we can will ourselves to take some concrete steps in a more positive direction.  We can affirm that all life is sacred and that our actions or inaction make a difference. 

The Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. once wrote;

“Any religion that professes to be concerned about the souls of men and is not concerned about the slums that damn them, the economic conditions that strangle them and the social conditions that cripple them is a spiritually moribund religion awaiting burial.”

We can lift up our concerns to God in fervent prayer naming each pastor, congregation, and community that has been or will be impacted.  We can ask our congregation’s leaders or our cluster how we can partner with another congregation in communities facing high poverty, unemployment, failing schools, and violence by becoming sister congregations.  Individual actions rarely accomplish what a community of people motivated by faith can do.  We can go deeper in our analysis of what is going on in our society rather than trusting in worn-out rhetoric that too quickly blames the victim.  God told the prophet Habakkuk that the problems they were facing were much bigger than even Habakkuk realized: “Look and be amazed at what’s happening among the nations! Even if you were told, you would never believe what’s taking place now”.

What we are facing is large and will not be resolved by easy solutions, political rhetoric, or overnight visits from Washington D.C. because they are both spiritual/moral, systemic and global in nature and may take decades to overcome.  But this, I believe, God is greater still! And, God is already at work.  The only question that remains is “Will we go and meet God where God is already at work?”

Click here to read a personal refelection by Helene Slessarev Jamir.

John Prendergast Co-Chair of the ENOUGH Project  (photo by Chris Pierson)

I find it hard to fathom that for nearly three years I have been writing about the genocide in Darfur.  When I began writing I was certain that it was just a matter of time before the international community including faith communities would lift their voices demanding an end to the genocide.  I noted then, that when President George W. Bush took office he wrote in the margins of a report that he was reading, regarding the Clinton administration's failure to end the genocide in Rwanda, the now famous words "Not on my watch!".

When I interviewed John Prendergast at an area synagogue over a year ago, I encouraged him to reach out to The United Methodist Church, citing the success of the Nothing But Nets Campaign because of the many partners who are a key part of that coalition- that coalition includes local churches and people of all faiths.  We must do our part to end this genocide and end it now.  We too, must say ENOUGH!

Millions have indeed raised their voices calling for an end to the conflict and for increased efforts on the part of the international community.  Genuine and not-so-genuine efforts have been made by international leaders from the African Union to the United Nations.  It is my belief that the economic interests of key nation states have been a major reason why many of the efforts have failed.   In other words our enemy is legion.  There are those nation states and multinational corporations that profit from this disaster and from the failure to resolve the crisis with a long term just solution.

Now President Barack Obama inherits this crisis.  With the world's attention focused on the global economic crisis, Iraq, Afghanistan, Iran, and Gaza it would be easy to ignore a conflict a remote corner of the world.  However, unlike President Bush who waited until the final months of his presidency to think of his legacy, President Obama would do well to consider his legacy now.  Sudan and the Darfur region deserve a "Special Envoy", of the stature of George Mitchell, no less than Israel-Palestine and the crisis in Gaza.

The strength of the Obama campaign was summed up in the words "Yes, We Can!"  It has been noted that Obama's inauguration speech may have used the word "I" less than any previous inaugural speech.  That is important.  It is important because the problems "we" face are truly daunting.  It will take all of us working together, lifting our voices, embracing new ways of thinking, building new partnerships and coalitions to solve them.  It is "Our Watch" and each of us must do "our" part.

Here are some things that you can do to help in the genocide in Darfur.

Learn about the 3 P's and Prevention.

Read "Not On Our Watch" by Don Cheadle and John Prendergast.

Buy the Christian Companion  by Bill Mefford & Greg Leffel and use as a resource in your local church.

Take action. !!!

Remember clicking on words highlited in blue will take you to important links.

CHANGE HAS COME TO AMERICA

Following is the inaugural speech of President Barack Hussein Obama the 44th President of the United States of America and the nation's first African-American President (text and video).  I encourage you to click on to the comment section to say what "Changes" you hope will come to America.

My fellow citizens:

I stand here today humbled by the task before us, grateful for the trust you have bestowed, mindful of the sacrifices borne by our ancestors. I thank President Bush for his service to our nation, as well as the generosity and cooperation he has shown throughout this transition.

Forty-four Americans have now taken the presidential oath. The words have been spoken during rising tides of prosperity and the still waters of peace. Yet, every so often, the oath is taken amidst gathering clouds and raging storms. At these moments, America has carried on not simply because of the skill or vision of those in high office, but because We the People have remained faithful to the ideals of our forebearers, and true to our founding documents.

So it has been. So it must be with this generation of Americans.

That we are in the midst of crisis is now well understood. Our nation is at war, against a far-reaching network of violence and hatred. Our economy is badly weakened, a consequence of greed and irresponsibility on the part of some, but also our collective failure to make hard choices and prepare the nation for a new age. Homes have been lost; jobs shed; businesses shuttered. Our health care is too costly; our schools fail too many; and each day brings further evidence that the ways we use energy strengthen our adversaries and threaten our planet.

These are the indicators of crisis, subject to data and statistics. Less measurable but no less profound is a sapping of confidence across our land -- a nagging fear that America's decline is inevitable, and that the next generation must lower its sights.

Today I say to you that the challenges we face are real. They are serious and they are many. They will not be met easily or in a short span of time. But know this, America: They will be met.

On this day, we gather because we have chosen hope over fear, unity of purpose over conflict and discord.

On this day, we come to proclaim an end to the petty grievances and false promises, the recriminations and worn-out dogmas, that for far too long have strangled our politics.

We remain a young nation, but in the words of Scripture, the time has come to set aside childish things. The time has come to reaffirm our enduring spirit; to choose our better history; to carry forward that precious gift, that noble idea, passed on from generation to generation: the God-given promise that all are equal, all are free, and all deserve a chance to pursue their full measure of happiness.

In reaffirming the greatness of our nation, we understand that greatness is never a given. It must be earned. Our journey has never been one of shortcuts or settling for less. It has not been the path for the fainthearted -- for those who prefer leisure over work, or seek only the pleasures of riches and fame. Rather, it has been the risk-takers, the doers, the makers of things -- some celebrated, but more often men and women obscure in their labor -- who have carried us up the long, rugged path toward prosperity and freedom.

For us, they packed up their few worldly possessions and traveled across oceans in search of a new life.

For us, they toiled in sweatshops and settled the West; endured the lash of the whip and plowed the hard earth.

For us, they fought and died, in places like Concord and Gettysburg; Normandy and Khe Sahn.

Time and again, these men and women struggled and sacrificed and worked till their hands were raw so that we might live a better life. They saw America as bigger than the sum of our individual ambitions; greater than all the differences of birth or wealth or faction.

This is the journey we continue today. We remain the most prosperous, powerful nation on Earth. Our workers are no less productive than when this crisis began. Our minds are no less inventive, our goods and services no less needed than they were last week or last month or last year. Our capacity remains undiminished. But our time of standing pat, of protecting narrow interests and putting off unpleasant decisions -- that time has surely passed. Starting today, we must pick ourselves up, dust ourselves off, and begin again the work of remaking America.

For everywhere we look, there is work to be done. The state of the economy calls for action, bold and swift, and we will act -- not only to create new jobs, but to lay a new foundation for growth. We will build the roads and bridges, the electric grids and digital lines that feed our commerce and bind us together. We will restore science to its rightful place, and wield technology's wonders to raise health care's quality and lower its cost. We will harness the sun and the winds and the soil to fuel our cars and run our factories. And we will transform our schools and colleges and universities to meet the demands of a new age. All this we can do. And all this we will do.

Now, there are some who question the scale of our ambitions -- who suggest that our system cannot tolerate too many big plans. Their memories are short. For they have forgotten what this country has already done; what free men and women can achieve when imagination is joined to common purpose, and necessity to courage.

What the cynics fail to understand is that the ground has shifted beneath them -- that the stale political arguments that have consumed us for so long no longer apply. The question we ask today is not whether our government is too big or too small, but whether it works -- whether it helps families find jobs at a decent wage, care they can afford, a retirement that is dignified. Where the answer is yes, we intend to move forward. Where the answer is no, programs will end. And those of us who manage the public's dollars will be held to account -- to spend wisely, reform bad habits, and do our business in the light of day -- because only then can we restore the vital trust between a people and their government.

Nor is the question before us whether the market is a force for good or ill. Its power to generate wealth and expand freedom is unmatched, but this crisis has reminded us that without a watchful eye, the market can spin out of control -- and that a nation cannot prosper long when it favors only the prosperous. The success of our economy has always depended not just on the size of our gross domestic product, but on the reach of our prosperity; on our ability to extend opportunity to every willing heart -- not out of charity, but because it is the surest route to our common good.

As for our common defense, we reject as false the choice between our safety and our ideals. Our Founding Fathers, faced with perils we can scarcely imagine, drafted a charter to assure the rule of law and the rights of man, a charter expanded by the blood of generations. Those ideals still light the world, and we will not give them up for expedience's sake. And so to all other peoples and governments who are watching today, from the grandest capitals to the small village where my father was born: Know that America is a friend of each nation and every man, woman and child who seeks a future of peace and dignity, and that we are ready to lead once more.

Recall that earlier generations faced down fascism and communism not just with missiles and tanks, but with sturdy alliances and enduring convictions. They understood that our power alone cannot protect us, nor does it entitle us to do as we please. Instead, they knew that our power grows through its prudent use; our security emanates from the justness of our cause, the force of our example, the tempering qualities of humility and restraint.

We are the keepers of this legacy. Guided by these principles once more, we can meet those new threats that demand even greater effort -- even greater cooperation and understanding between nations. We will begin to responsibly leave Iraq to its people, and forge a hard-earned peace in Afghanistan. With old friends and former foes, we will work tirelessly to lessen the nuclear threat, and roll back the specter of a warming planet. We will not apologize for our way of life, nor will we waver in its defense, and for those who seek to advance their aims by inducing terror and slaughtering innocents, we say to you now that our spirit is stronger and cannot be broken; you cannot outlast us, and we will defeat you.

For we know that our patchwork heritage is a strength, not a weakness. We are a nation of Christians and Muslims, Jews and Hindus -- and nonbelievers. We are shaped by every language and culture, drawn from every end of this Earth; and because we have tasted the bitter swill of civil war and segregation, and emerged from that dark chapter stronger and more united, we cannot help but believe that the old hatreds shall someday pass; that the lines of tribe shall soon dissolve; that as the world grows smaller, our common humanity shall reveal itself; and that America must play its role in ushering in a new era of peace.

To the Muslim world, we seek a new way forward, based on mutual interest and mutual respect. To those leaders around the globe who seek to sow conflict, or blame their society's ills on the West: Know that your people will judge you on what you can build, not what you destroy. To those who cling to power through corruption and deceit and the silencing of dissent, know that you are on the wrong side of history; but that we will extend a hand if you are willing to unclench your fist.

To the people of poor nations, we pledge to work alongside you to make your farms flourish and let clean waters flow; to nourish starved bodies and feed hungry minds. And to those nations like ours that enjoy relative plenty, we say we can no longer afford indifference to suffering outside our borders; nor can we consume the world's resources without regard to effect. For the world has changed, and we must change with it.

As we consider the road that unfolds before us, we remember with humble gratitude those brave Americans who, at this very hour, patrol far-off deserts and distant mountains. They have something to tell us today, just as the fallen heroes who lie in Arlington whisper through the ages. We honor them not only because they are guardians of our liberty, but because they embody the spirit of service; a willingness to find meaning in something greater than themselves. And yet, at this moment -- a moment that will define a generation -- it is precisely this spirit that must inhabit us all.

For as much as government can do and must do, it is ultimately the faith and determination of the American people upon which this nation relies. It is the kindness to take in a stranger when the levees break, the selflessness of workers who would rather cut their hours than see a friend lose their job which sees us through our darkest hours. It is the firefighter's courage to storm a stairway filled with smoke, but also a parent's willingness to nurture a child, that finally decides our fate.

Our challenges may be new. The instruments with which we meet them may be new. But those values upon which our success depends -- hard work and honesty, courage and fair play, tolerance and curiosity, loyalty and patriotism -- these things are old. These things are true. They have been the quiet force of progress throughout our history. What is demanded then is a return to these truths. What is required of us now is a new era of responsibility -- a recognition, on the part of every American, that we have duties to ourselves, our nation and the world; duties that we do not grudgingly accept but rather seize gladly, firm in the knowledge that there is nothing so satisfying to the spirit, so defining of our character, than giving our all to a difficult task.

This is the price and the promise of citizenship.

This is the source of our confidence -- the knowledge that God calls on us to shape an uncertain destiny.

This is the meaning of our liberty and our creed -- why men and women and children of every race and every faith can join in celebration across this magnificent Mall, and why a man whose father less than 60 years ago might not have been served at a local restaurant can now stand before you to take a most sacred oath.

So let us mark this day with remembrance, of who we are and how far we have traveled. In the year of America's birth, in the coldest of months, a small band of patriots huddled by dying campfires on the shores of an icy river. The capital was abandoned. The enemy was advancing. The snow was stained with blood. At a moment when the outcome of our revolution was most in doubt, the father of our nation ordered these words be read to the people:

"Let it be told to the future world ... that in the depth of winter, when nothing but hope and virtue could survive... that the city and the country, alarmed at one common danger, came forth to meet [it]."

America. In the face of our common dangers, in this winter of our hardship, let us remember these timeless words. With hope and virtue, let us brave once more the icy currents, and endure what storms may come. Let it be said by our children's children that when we were tested, we refused to let this journey end, that we did not turn back, nor did we falter; and with eyes fixed on the horizon and God's grace upon us, we carried forth that great gift of freedom and delivered it safely to future generations.

View President-Elect Obama's speech in Chicago on the day of his election.

View President-Elect Obama's speech before the Democratic Convention.

View Obama's speech "More Perfect Union" speech given in Philadelphia on the subject of race in America.

View "Interactive Photos" of the moment from CNN

From the opening frames the images are powerful, gripping, and at times disturbing.  The film's main character, Jamal Malik, is a Mumbai slum kid literally living in garbage heaps when we first encounter him.  Yet, he finds himself at 18 just one question away from winning 20 million rupees on India's "Who Wants to be a Millionaire?"  The question is "How did he do it?" 

Did he cheat? Is he lucky? Is he a genius?  Is it his destiny?  Each question that he answers on the game show brings the viewer closer to an answer and teaches another life lesson at the same time.  Don't get me wrong this is not a "preachy" film.  However, it might just change how you see the people that are often hidden "in plain sight" in our own nation.

Ty Burr, Boston Globe film critic, put it this way- "I'll keep this simple: Cancel whatever you're doing tonight and go see Slumdog Millionaire." 

see the movie trailer here

"Power corrupts, and absolute power corrupts absolutely."  We have all, likely, heard that phrase at some point in our lives as a warning against the dangers of power.  We have heard it even more frequently this week following the arrest and complaint filed against Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich.

In what U.S. Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald called " a corruption crime spree", Blagojevich is accused of, among other things, attempting to sell the vacant Senate seat of President-Elect Barack Obama.  The government's case appears to be bolstered by profanity laced wire-taps of Blagojevich who has known for years that he was under investigation for corruption.  The conviction of former Illinois Governor George Ryan, Blagojevich's predecessor proved no deterrent to Blagojevich.  Ryan is currently serving prison term and people in high places have advocated a pardon by George W. Bush as Bush leaves office.

Even more remarkable is the fact that the day before his arrest Blagojevich, in a press conference, claimed that there was ultimate sunshine hanging over him.  Blagojevich in essence issued a challenge, "If anybody wants to tape my conversations, go right ahead".  Blagojevich event went as far to remind those who had gathered that "it kind of smells like Nixon and Watergate".  He is absolutely correct on that point.  It does smell like Nixon and Watergate.

In the now famous Nixon/Frost interview, many recall that Nixon boldly said, "When the President does it, that means it's not illegal".  That brings us closer to the actual dictum of Lord Acton.  What Lord Acton actually wrote over a century ago was this,

"I cannot accept your cannon that we are to judge Pope and King unlike other men with a favourable presumption that they did no wrong.  If there is any presumption, it is the other way, against the holders of power, increasing as the power increases.  Historic responsibility has to make up for the want of legal responsibility.  Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely....  There is no worse heresy than that the office sanctifies the holder of it.

Lord Acton was addressing the issue of Papal Infallibility.  He was speaking of the presumption that Pope and King could do no wrong.  I believe Lord Acton was correct when he termed it heresy.  While power does "tend" to corrupt, we must be careful not to scapegoat "power".  To quote the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr;

Power properly understood is nothing but the ability to achieve purpose.  It is strength required to bring about social, political and economic change... Now a lot of us are preachers, and all of us have our moral convictions and concerns, and so often have problems with power.  There is nothing wrong with power if power is used correctly.

The real issue, I believe, in the Blagojevich scandal is not power but greed.  More accurately, the problem is the unholy marriage of politics, power, and greed- a.k.a "Pay-to-Play".

It is no wonder then, that what may have driven Blagojevich's reckless behavior to such heights was the ethics reforms scheduled to take effect January 1st.  One of the major problems in national politics is a "culture of corruption".  The only things that will counter this culture of corruption are a more informed and engaged citizenry and greater transparency.  As "Deep Throat" advised Bob Woodward during the Watergate investigation- "Follow the Money"!

In the photograph above, a painting of "Honest Abe" Lincoln hangs on the wall.  He appears to be looking down on Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich and Chicago Mayor Richard M. Daley.  I suggest we keep our eyes on them too.

To view Frost/Nixon Movie Trailer click here.  To hear Nixon in his own words click here.

BURRESS, BLOOMBERG, & BURGE

(video)

example-  1 A thing or person suitable to be used as a model.  2  An instance of something to be avoided; an act especially a punishment, serving or designed to serve as a warning.

New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg may be right as he recently demanded that prosecutors throw the book at New York Giants wide receiver Plaxico Burress.  Burress caught the winning touchdown pass in the Giants upset Superbowl win over the undefeated New England Patriots just months ago.  This year Burress has been a distraction to his team, arriving late and missing practice.  But recently Burress literally shot himself in the leg at a crowded nightclub in Manhattan.  Police reported, the loaded gun, a Glock, slid down Burress' pant leg and went off when he attempted to grab it.  (See the Bloomberg Video)

Perhaps I am overly sensitive due to the large number of deaths every year in the Greater Chicago area due to handgun violence and the large number of related crimes committed at gun-point.  Or, perhaps it is because I vividly recall being awakened as a child and being told that my oldest brother had been shot- as it turned out by a mentally-ill youth who had access to his father's loaded weapon.  Or, perhaps it is because I am remembering a relative who on Memorial Day died a violent death earlier this year at gun-point.  So when I hear that a multi-millionaire athlete carried an unlicensed loaded weapon into a crowded nightclub, and jokes about it with his teamates, I too think, throw the book at him.  Burress  could be an example, dare I say "role model" to so many youths coming from similar circumstances.  Athletes may not desire to accept that role and may not see themselves as examples to others, however, when young children and their families fork over outrageous amounts of hard-earned cash to buy that player's jersey, (or believe all the hype about these players) the players become examples, role models, even icons.  Burris has become the other kind of example that should serve as a warning not only to other NFL players and athletes but to those devoted fans who heap lavish praise upon them.

However, I would ask Mayor Bloomberg, "Why stop there?"  It is not only the highly visible athletes that we should be concerned about.  Where is Bloomberg's anger for his own police department that is notorious for civil and human rights violations.  Where was Bloomberg's anger at the acquittal of three detectives that killed Sean Bell on the morning of his wedding day in a storm of 50 police bullets.  Where was Bloomberg's anger toward Gulliani's now defunct NYPD Street Crimes Unit or at the exoneration of four (plain clothes) officers who killed Amadou Diallo with 41 bullets.

As a child, I grew up with "Officer Friendly".  This program that was designed to build rapport among police and youth really impressed many urban youth.  I was particularly impressed and even "proud" because my father was a Chicago police officer.  I even earned a degree in Criminal Justice and took numerous pre-law courses before responding to God's call to ministry.  While there are many outstanding police officers who serve their communities faithfully, risking life and limb to go into places and situations many of us would not choose to go, the luster and shine of the badge wears off quickly when we hear about cases like these.

Part of the problem, Mayor Bloomberg, are the friends and systems that protect people like Plaxico Burress and protect police like those in the Diallo and Bell shootings to name just a few. 

In Chicago, we can all still see the brutal beating in our minds eyes of a small female bartender by an off duty Chicago police officer.  As his court date arrived news media were blocked and ticketed by Chicago police- ordered by a CPD Captain.

Now, according a Chicago Tribune article this past week Chicago's Fraternal Order of Police (the union) defended paying Jon Burge's legal defense.  Burge, soon to be on trial for torturing suspects to get confessions, has been living for years in a Florida waterfront community, with his pension intact and a boat out back according to the St. Petersburg Times. 

It was nearly twenty years ago when Fred Hampton, Jr., son of slain Black Panther Party leader, came to me alleging that Burge tortured suspects.  I didn't want to believe it then- maybe I was still remembering "Officer Friendly".  Maybe I was thinking of my father and not some rogue cop or the system that protected him for too long. Now, with the news of the FOP decision I say "throw the book at him" and shame on anyone who covers up for him, and shame on me for not having believed before.  You're right Mr. Bloomberg "No one should be exempt".

To learn more about police torture in Chicago just click on this link to articles archived back to 1990.

Highlighted words will take you directly to videos and articles referenced here.

 LEAVING THE CHURCH

By Chris Pierson

I met a woman today when I was leaving a church.  She didn't fit the picture in my mind's eye of what "poverty"should look like. Nor did she fit the picture that media and politicians often portray.  She was tall, well-dressed, long blond hair, blue eyes, and attractive.  Upon closer look, however, I could see that she was also disoriented as she walked through the church's small parking lot.  As I turned the corner there she was again standing in front of the United Church of Christ building.  Crossing the street again she stood in front of a United Methodist Church, clearly disoriented- poverty has a way of doing that to you.  Asking if she needed any help, if she was O.K., began a conversation that was at times cryptic and often confusing.

What caused this woman, who does not fit the profile, to be wandering in the streets aimlessly I still do not fully comprehend but as we talked I quickly learned that she was a human being struggling to make sense out of her life.  She was unsure, literally and figuratively, how she came to be where she was.  She shared with me that she was sleeping across three chairs in someone else's home.  She doesn't smoke, she doesn't drink, she doesn't do drugs but they do.  She believes that something isn't right- she said it repeatedly, "It doesn't seem right.  I don't understand."

She shared with me that she was losing her faith in God and that she didn't know how to pray any more.  After I prayed for her she began to pray as well.  She cited scripture from memory- accurately and appropriately.  I fed her lunch and departed for home still feeling disturbed and powerless. 

Why? Because, in spite of the euphoria that so many feel following the recent elections, the word "Poverty" was not mentioned during the debates. 

Why? Because, in spite of the fact that over one-hundred thousand people petitioned Jim Lehrer to ask a question regarding poverty he did not. 

Why?  Because, in spite of the fact that half the world - nearly 3 billion people- live on less than $2 a day it was not considered worthy of dialogue and debate. 

Why?  Because, in spite of the fact that 30,000 children die each day due to poverty there is no "12 Point Plan" to address the issue and to save lives. 

Why?  Because, nearly every other child alive in the world today lives in poverty. 

Why?  Because, we simply have not made ending poverty a priority for us even though we have the means to do it.

According to one study, the United States of America spends more on cosmetics than it would cost to provide basic education for all developing countries.  The same study revealed that Japan spends more on business entertainment than it would cost to provide water and sanitation, reproductive health care, and basic health and nutrition in all developing countries.

I share the sentiment of rock singer Bono who said recently:

"It is extraordinary to me that you can find $700 billion to save Wall Street and the entire G8 can’t find $25 billion to save 25,000 children who die every day of preventable treatable disease and hunger. That’s mad, that is mad."

I feel both disturbed and powerless because I still believe that God has chosen the poor in the eyes of the world to be rich in faith and inherit the kingdom God promised to those who love God.  Because we have dishonored the poor (James 2: 5-6).  We are told that if a brother or sister is without clothes and DAILY food and one of us says to them "Go in peace; keep warm and well fed," but does nothing about their physical needs, what good is it?  In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead."  I feel both disturbed and powerless because on a bright Saturday afternoon she wandered aimlessly from church to church but no one was home.

To learn more about the work of the church and economic justice follow the links below.

General Board of Church Society

Peace With Justice

Global Poverty and Hunger

Sustainable Development

Four Areas of Focus

Also follow the links in the "Bodies Count" article on this page

To view the Poverty video click here

To view the Poverty in America video click here

View "How Hunger Feels" here *

Klan to March Tomorrow

African Burial Grounds Monument in New York

The final phone call that I made from my office before leaving for vacation was a consultation with a white pastor who will be preaching on the subject of race.  I suggested certain resources for him that included examples of the persistence of racism in the United States of America.  While driving last night I began to ask myself if many whites could really understand what it means for an African American to travel through the south.  Thoughts of the past often travel through ones mind- reminders of the dangers that many of my ancestors faced as they passed through cities and towns uncertain of their safety.  It was not just the south, however.  Other states, too, were filled with "Sundown Towns"- towns and communities from Maine to California that, according to historian and scholar James Loewen, kept out African Americans by force law or custom.  Loewen found more than 440 such towns in my home state of Illinois. 

Perhaps, I thought, I was just being too sensitive and too serious.  After all I am on vacation.  Also, so much has changed for the better, hasn't it? There is the candidacy of Barack Obama for the presidency of the United States of America and many municipalities throughout the land have African Americans at the helm.   So too, did the U.S. House of Representatives issue an apology this past week for slavery and Jim Crow.

As I pulled into my hotel last night in Decatur, Alabama and turned on the local television station I saw an African American woman anchoring the nightly news program--  the story- Klan To March.Tomorrow!  They will be able to march and they will be able to burn a cross- all legally.  It was the perfect illustration of our nation's schizophrenia regarding race, racism, and white supremacy.  It does make perfect sense, however, that when an oppressed people make progress those who experience privilege feel threatened.  The Klan (KKK) founded by veterans of the Confederate Army has existed since 1865- the year the 13th amendment was ratified abolishing slavery. 

That apology for slavery and Jim Crow (which has come years after the apologies for to Japanese Americans for their internment during World War II and to Hawaiians for the overthrow of their government), I should mention, was done by voice vote which means that the many politicians that voted for it were not required, in any substantive way, to go on the record condemning our nation's racist legacy.  It should also be mentioned that the congressman who sponsored it is white, is in a tight race and that the majority of his district is African American.  I'm not saying... I'm just saying, "It should be mentioned".  The apology, by the way, does not in any way address the issue of reparations or redress.

It is really not about "the south" I guess.  Similar feelings of angst were with me recently in New York City as I left my group of fellow travelers so that I could visit the African Burial grounds where the bones of  419 persons of African descent are interred.  These persons were enslaved in a colonial project and to this day their legacy- their very bones cry out for justice.  It is, also, not about the Klan and their presence or persistence.

For me it is about committing to working toward racial justice and equality in the "here and now" but acknowledging that in order to accomplish this we must continually recollect or "re-collect".  Just as the bones of these ancients were re interred near one of the world's most powerful economic engines. (It is believed by many that during the 17th and 18th Centuries, New York/New Amsterdam was second to only Charleston, South Carolina in the slave trade).  So, too, must we re-collect and retell their memories and ours, their stories and ours, their experiences and ours.  Each march of the Klan must be met with a greater march for racial equality and justice- not just in D.C. in 1963 but in places like Alabama and Jena, Louisiana today.  Each night ride of terror and lighted cross be met with a greater "Freedom Ride".  It must be so- not only for ourselves but also in the apt words found on the monument at New York's African Burial Ground....

"For all those who were lost, for all those who were stolen, for all those who were left behind, for all those who were not forgotten."

Simply put, This is a novel that reads you. Lawrence Hill's   Someone Knows My Name   is the first book that I purchased on my Kindle- a Father's Day gift.  I couldn't put this book down!  The Kindle with its built in dictionary allows you to surf the net while you are reading and learn more about the historical characters and places deepening your understanding (few people other than historians and scholars are aware of the Black Loyalists for example) . 

Every person of African descent should place this on their must read list (Science says that includes you- regardless of your race or nationality).  From the moment you flip the first pages, or push the toggle bar, this historical novel challenges you to consider anew ones understanding of humanity, identity, and faith as you follow-or more accurately "journey with"- Aminata Diallo, an African girl sold into slavery.

From the home of  her loving parents and her small village to the waiting slave ships and the middle passage to a different world, "we" journey with her coming to know the horrors of the slave trade in a profound way.  Yet, Someone Knows My Name is also a story of liberation, of abiding faith, and of courage and survival.  The themes of Exodus and migration are present throughout reminding us that life and faith are a journey.  In the words of one of the novel's characters, Daddy Moses, "It doesn't matter what we call your soul....What matters is where it travels and who it lifts up".   Someone Knows My Name will continue to travel with you long after you read its final lines and it will indeed lift your soul.

You may want to purchase this book as a hard copy so that you can pass it on to others that you care about.

Historical novels, such as "Someone Knows My Name" and "Ama: the Story of the Transatlantic Slave Trade" by Manu Herbstein, are perhaps the least appreciated genre in literature.  Once you pause to read Someone Knows My Name you will find yourself searching for more.    

To read my my brief review of Ama: The Story of the Atlantic Slave Trade  on the www.nathanielturner.com   click here.

To see the Lawrence Hill video interview click here.

Bodies Count

-By Chris Pierson

“…The body count continues to rise around them...” read a recent New York Times article regarding the large number of Chicago Public School children killed and others  living, daily, in fear of their lives.  Arne Duncan, chief Executive of the Chicago Public Schools, acknowledges the silence regarding those who have been seriously wounded and injured due to gun violence, declaring that a toll of seriously injured students “would be staggering”.